1. Field of the Invention
At least one aspect in accord with the present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for networking computer systems, and more specifically, to apparatus and methods for networking computer systems using disruption/delay tolerant networking (DTN).
2. Discussion of Related Art
In a traditional DTN (Disruptive/Delay Tolerant Networking) system there are servers and clients. The servers include Bundle Protocol Agents (BPAs) and the clients have a service called the BPA application program interface (API) which allows applications to invoke DTN functionality encapsulated in the BPA. An example of a DTN network topology is illustrated (in block diagram form) in FIG. 1. Packets are passed from a DTN client 102 via one or more DTN servers 104 to another DTN client 102, as indicated by arrows 106.
An example of normal DTN communications using standard interfaces is illustrated in FIG. 2. A networking application 208 uses the DTN BPA API 210 to transfer a payload to the DTN BPA 212 which may forward the payload through several other DTN BPAs 212 (associated with DTN servers 204) until the payload is delivered to an intended destination client 214.
Along with a payload, the client 202 specifies a DTN address, and DTN options such as, for example, custodial option, service type (for example, guaranteed delivery, etc.) and payload lifetime. These elements are encapsulated in an external data representation (XDR) encoded string and passed, via the DTN BPA API 210, to a BPA daemon through a TCP/IP stream. The BPA daemon decodes the XDR and handles the payload according to the specified DTN options. The payload then moves from DTN server to DTN server, as shown by a dotted line 206 in FIG. 2, until the payload reaches the DTN server that is acting as the destination for the particular DTN client identified in the packet.